A visit from St. Nicholas

mm

Published by L.Prang&C?

159, WASH"."'' ST BOSTON.

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I. PKA.vc. AC'' I IV THi CiCMLs cff/cf OF rvj: c/sr/!/cr coi/fir cf ns^ss .

Twas the nignt before Christmas, when at! firougn

the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon v/ould be there;
The children were nestled al! snug in their beds,

^ --sp^f^

WhiiJ \isons of sjgat- fj L'n s Jctiiw.. r t heat';
And mamma in ner Kercnief ana I m my cap,
Kad just settled our brains for a long winter's nap -
When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter}
Away to the window I flew like a fla^h.

Tors open the shutters ana threw up the sash.
The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen sr.ow,
Gave a lustre of mid-day to objects beiow ;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear
jBtit a miniature sleigh, and ei^ht tiny rein-deer,
wVith a little old driver, so iivp*y ^tr"^ ouicU-

i knew in a moment it must be St. Nick,
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came
And he whistled, andshouted.andcalledtherrby h
"Now, Dasher! now.Dancef !now,Prancer andVix'
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzer

the wall ! j
aliJ" i

«he too of the porch, to Jhe too of th;

L dash away, dasH away, dash away

ry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, *

n they meet with an obstacle, nnount to the sky

up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

1 a sleigh full of toys — and St. Nicholas too. •

And then in a twinkling ! neard on the /oof,
The prancing and pawing of each Wtije hoof.
'As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas c^me with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,

And his clotl^s were all tarr.ished with ashes and soot:
A bundfe of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a padier just opening his pac^

His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how me.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;

His droll little'mouth was drawn up like a bow, J

A ^d the smo
had a b

■r

his chin was as white as the snow
his teeth,

wreath,
iad face and a little round belly
en he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly

And the bear " "" '""'^ chin was as white asth
_, \ jf a pipe he held tight in his tee

The stunnp ci
. y-e. It encircled his head like a

He was chubby and plump, — a right joHy old elf;
And I laughed when ! saw him in spite of myself
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know ! had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his woH
'lied all the stockings ithen turned v/ith a j.er

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

Ue sprang to his Sleigh, to his teann gave a whistle

And away they all- flew like the down of a thistle;

Put I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight

•'Merry Ckr stwas to all, and to all a good nig

^NB-TO .M"^

"O lilt."**